Lou Gorman (AP Photo)
BOSTON (AP) - Former Boston Red Sox general manager Lou Gorman has died at 82.
Nephew Tom Dougherty says Gorman died early Friday and was surrounded by family at Massachusetts General Hospital after an illness of almost a year.
Dougherty says that all his uncle wanted was to "make it to opening day." The Red Sox open against the Texas Rangers on Friday afternoon.
Gorman was Boston's general manager from 1984-93, building the team that won the 1986 AL championship. That team was led by Roger Clemens and was one strike from winning the World Series before the New York Mets came back to win Games 6 and 7.
It wasn't until 2004 before the Red Sox finally won it all, ending what had become an 86-year title drought.
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